Rotary tool



Aug. 18, 1936.

Filed Jan. 22, 1934y j 0 u. 0 L T 673,2 ze); A l0 //f/ 1/ P www M A w nn n Patented Aug. 18, 1936 The present inventionrelatestorotarytoolstgand more specifically to the handletherefor, andhas for its object the provision cfa handpiece-wherein .suitablemechanism for rotating a tool is positioned.` Y `Aiurther .object ofthepresent .inventionisga provision ofva rotary toothbrush Yoperable by asuitable mechanism. A further object of the present inventionisA theprovision of a rotary tooth brush, including a rotary shaft which may berotated. into one or` the other. direction by means of gear connection,and Whereinthe direction of rotation of the rotatable shaftisaccomplished through the medium of a clutch.

l`Affurther object of the present inventionis the .provision of a deviceof the characterindicated Ywhich may beV operated by means of a flexibleshaft, intermediately connected .to a bevel-gear. -A still furtherobject of thepresent invention Yis the provision of a device of thecharacter indition, and in which like designating charactersre- :fer tocorresponding parts throughout the several views, y f. v Fig. 1 is anelevational crosssectional view of the device; Y .Fig. .2` is anelevational fragmentary viewof the end of the cylindrical casing, with atooth brush in position, anda guard therefor;

v.,Fig. 3 is afragmentary elevational view of one side of the device; Yy

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and I L v Fig. 5is a cross-sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig, 3 l lReferring to thepresent drawingin detail lthere is shown therein an elongated.cylindrical khandle Il)Y which is provided with alongitudinal centralbore..,I=I. `Journaled within said borre I.I is a shaft I2 theupper endof which` is reduced-as at I3 to affect a shoulder I4 to bear againstcollar vI5 Mfitted in the enlarged upper yend of said ybore, I I, forpreventing the upward shiftingmovernent of saidshaft I2. The upper endof said shaft ll2 is further reduced as at I6 and u pon this reduced enda bevel gear,Y I I isrigidly affixed through the medium of tpin I8passingthrough the `hub I9 of said gear I1 andthrough the said end I6.

`"il'he lowerend of kshaft I2 Vis likewise reduced las -at.20 to providea shoulder 2 Il to lbear against bushing 22 tted in,t heenlargedlowerend of fbore I I and having la horizontal flange 23 ex- -tendingfromsubstantially the central portion uthereof,,said bushing 22 being`Arigidly affixed 10 through the medium of .screws 24 to thelower endofsaidhandle --I0. The lower end of saidI shaft I2 isf, providedwith-aY-central bore 25 to receive -therewithin a rigid, reducedend26ofthe flexible s haft12'l.. Said end 26 is provided with a laterally l5extending lgey. 28 which is received within a suitable-longitudinalslot, not shown, made inthe lower reduced end of said shaft I2,by-virtue of which arrangementthe rotation of Vthef'lexible r k,shaft-21 is transmittedl to shaft l2. Said k.flexible '2O shaft 2.1 is furtherprovided, in its continuation, witha cylindrical reduced portion 2QWhichjis `pt rovidedat onepointof its periphery with an `annlvilargroove 30 within whichthe end of screw 13 I, passingj throughthefoutwardly projecting por- 25 tion of,bushingV22,`-;is received.Thus, it lwill be seen,l screw 3|. prevents the disengagement offlexibleshaft 2YIA from within bushing 22 and from .the lower endofshaft I2, but does not interfere withth erotation of", flexible shaft`21 and with 30 the.l transmission of `therotation thereof ,-to lshaftI-2 through the medium,of key 28.; The opposite en d `of ilex-ible shaft27 ,may be connected to an `electric motor whereby saidflexible shaft 2lis l'tafted-'Ln 1 1- 'fr ii' .1 35 Extending from the upper end of saidhandle IIl, and i integrally formed therewith.- is a spherical housing32from onevpoint whereof extends a -eylindrcal'casing 33, which projectsat a, right angle withrrespect tohandle I 0 asclearly 40 `seen ,onFig.-V 1. Alsovextending from said spherical ..housing.32,at a pointopposite from said cylindri- `cal casing, 33, isahollow stub 34, for thepurposefhereinafter described. s

Since it is contemplated that handle I0, spher- 45 ical housing32,cylindrical casingg33 andstub 34 areto be made of hard rubber,fbakeliteor other similardightand brittle material, for the purpose ofstrengthening the structure ofsaidcylindrical-casin-g-33 artube 35 isinsertedwithin said 50 cylindricalcasing 33. Said tube 35,.maybe'made ofsteelj or other hard material, which constitutes alia-ing for theinner-periphery of saidcylindricai casin-g 33 and strengthens thestructure thereof. g VA'I'he outer end of said tube 35 has an inwardly55 Y projecting flange 36 which acts as aV collar or bushing forrotatable cylindrical shaft 31 here'- inafter described. Engaging theinner end of said tube by means of screw threads 3 8 is a cylindricalcollar 39 which is provided with a tapered and outwardly rflaring flangewhich bears against the adjacent bodyrportion of said spherical housing32, at a point from which said cylindrical casing 33 immediatelyprojects. By

i virtue of this construction tube 35V will be prevented fromlongitudinal shifting within'saidcy- `lindricalcasing33' and in thedirection of its outer end.

Said rotatableV cylindricalk shaft 31, received WithinY said tube 35 andcylindrical collar 39 is f reduced at its outer endl to provide shoulder4|V which bears against flange 36, by virtue whereof said rotatableYcylindrical shaft 31 is prevented Y Y from shifting in the directionofr said ange'36.

Saidreduced end of said rotatable cylindricalshaft Y 31 forms a stubr42Which extends past saidY flange V`36 and passes outwardly ofthecylindrical casing 33, as' clearly seen on `Figs.Y 1 and `2.' Y

`Adjacent, the other end, said rotatableV cylinldrical shaft, 31 isprovidedawith an integrally formed collar 43, the diameter ofwhichsubstanv tially corresponds to the diameter of and is tted Y in thebore of stub 34. YOne edge of said'collar 43 remains'flush with theinnerV wall of spherical housing 32,-and the oppositeY outer edgethereof provides a'shoulder for buslring'44,whichl istin- `Y Vvserteawithin the bore orstub 34.*'rhe outer jend eoY Y length, for the purposehereinafter stated.

of said bushing 44 is providedwith flange 4 5jby [means of which said,bushing is affixed tol the end of stub 34 throughV the medium of screws46. It will therefore be seen that said bushing 44 provides another stopforthe rotatable Acylindrical Y shaft 31-'for preventinginwardlongi'tudinal movement. t Y Y Throughout its major portion-saidrotatable cylindrical'shaft 31 is'pro'vided with a uniform centrallongitudinal bore 41, which, atfone of Yits ends is'constricted defininga conical taper VI8 which merges concentrically with theouter bore :49of a reduced diameter, said'latter bore portion passing through said'stub 42 throughout it VSaidbore 41, at the opposite end o f saidrotati-l able cylindrical shaft 31 has'an enlarged portion 50 providingan inward shoulder 5| for the pur- Ypose hereinafter stated.V TheV outerendV of said Vshaft 31 and within its bore 41 is rod'54,"or1elen'd ofwhich is hollowed and longitudinally serrated as at 55 to define two ormore'clampingj'aws 56, of which, outer endsare-tapered as at'51!to'correspond to the taper 48 of the` adjaentc'onstricted end of bore41.;l Shaft 58 of` the tool such as ofubrushYV 59 insertable through*bore 49 Vis receivable-between said jaws 56.

' The opposite end of said rod' 54ri'slprovi'd`ed with an integrallyformed enlarged head 604 whose diameter substantially corresponds to thediameter of bore 50 and within which said head 60 lis, fitted forlongitudinal movement. Interposedfbetwee'n VVshoulder 5l and saidheadg66 isa coil spring 16|, for normally urging rod 54 towards` saidscrew lug V52 for the purpose Yof retracting the tapered ends 51A ofjawsV 56Y from the taper48 and thus Vto Y retracting the screw 52.

rotatable cylindrical shaft 31 in one'dire'ction by virtue of the factthat there'i's a connection be- -within a correspondingly shaped block13],which decrease the grip of said jawsupon` shaft 58 when it becomesdesirable'to remove the brush from the device, and upon first :releasingthe head 66 by In other words taperY 48, jaws 56 and the tapered ends 51of the latter act as a chuck for shaft' 58, andshall be in the followingdescription referred to as such.

Loosely positioned upon the cylindrical rotatable shaft 31 are twoVbeveled gears 62 and 63, the rst named of said'gears abutting thecollar'l 40, and the otherabutting collar 43 andl the adjacent-'wall-*ofthe spherical housing 132. Both of said gears 62 and 63 mesh withvgearI1. n

' Integrally formed with said rotatable cylinf drical shaft 31 is anelongated longit-udinal key l 64, disposed centrally of the portion ofsaidV .rotatable cylindrical shaft 31Y intermediate the two gears 62 and63'. Positioned upon said rotatable cylindrical shaft 31 between saidgears Y62 andr63 and upon key V674 is clutch 65Vin- 2 cluding Ya pair ofY parallel and laterallyY 'pro-1 jecti'ng annular flanges V66. It willbe' seien'vthat said clutch 65 isnotjpermitted tomake independent rotarymovement aroundfsaid rotatablefcylindrical shaft31 due to thekengagement Withkey 25 Y 64, but is permitted to make longitudinalsliding movement uponsaid shaft 31' and key 64 YforI effecting theengagement thereof with gear-'62"or gear 63 depending upon whichdirection clutch 65 is shifted.; Y f Y Said clutch 65 at each endther-cof has one'ror [more teeth or prongs 61 to enterrint'o acorretween` said shaft 31 and gear 62 through the medium o'fkey 64 andclutch 65. When clutch'65 is thrown into engagement with gear 63 therota-j tion of the rotatable shaft 31 will'be in reverse direction fromthat when clutch165 engagesgear 62. When clutch 65 remains in a centralposition or Vintermediate the two Vgears 62 and'63, orina neutralposition, both gears 621 and 63, although rotating by virtue of theirpropulsion Yby ygear I1, will not effect the rotation of the rotatableYcylindrical shaft 31. One side` of the spherical housing 32 has a roundopening 69 which provides access within said sphericalhousing 32. Around cover 10Y provides a closure for said opening'69, said cover 10being attached torsaid sphericaly housingY 32 vby means of` a' number'ofscrews I; At its central portioncover 10 is provided withasubstantiallyrectangular opening 1,2 to receive thereby means ofscrews15.

Lengthwise, orrparallelly with therotatable 6 in the inner face of cover10 andi/affixed thereto cylindrical shaft-"31, block 13is providedfwithY slot 16 through which clutch,operatingflever` 1'1 'extends and ispivoted therein upon pin 18 which runs transversely Yof slot16, andblockn'l3V and extends transverselyofrotatable cylindrical shaft 31.Avportion of saidV clutchoperating lever 11 lies within slot116 andaroundpin 18 it has a Y hub-like bulge 19'for facilitating angularshift-g ing movement of said vlever ,11. `.Bulgef19 on one side hanthree notches within which the outer 7 end of plunger head 8| is adaptedto enter. Said plunger head 8| is rigidly affixed to plunger rod 82 atone of its ends, while the other end of said plunger rod 82 slideswithin block 83 which is set Within bore 84 made in block 13 andadjacent its edge. 83 and head 8i urges the latter towards bulge 19.Thus, said plunger head 8| is adapted to engage one of said notches at agiven time and maintain the clutch operating lever 11 in its adjustedangular position.

The inner end of said clutch operating lever 11 is provided with fork 85which straddles clutch 65 between iianges 66.

'Ihere are three possible positions for clutch 65, namely, one, theengaging position with gear 62, in which case the clutch operating lever11 will remain angularly disposed with the lower end thereof or fork 85nearest to gear 62, while the outer end of said clutch operating lever11 disposed towards screw 52; another position of said clutch 65, whenthe same is in engagement with gear 63, and in that position clutchoperating lever 11 will likewise remain in an angular position with itsfork 85 disposed nearest to gear 63 and the outer end of said leverdisposed towards the cylindrical casing 33; both of said latter twopositions of the clutch operating lever 11 being shown by dotted lineson Fig. 5; and the third position of clutch 65 is a neutral positionillustrated on Fig. 1, in which case clutch operating lever 11 will bein a perpendicular relation with rotatable cylindrical shaft 31, shownby full lines on Fig. 5. In the first of the above positions of theclutch, the plunger head 8| will engage the outermost notch 88, in thesecond position the innermost notch 89, and in the third position thecentral notch 80.

Referring now to the assembly of the device, assuming that shaft I2 andgear l1 are already in their operative positions illustrated on Fig. l,and that tube 35 is likewise in its operative position, the rotatablecylindrical shaft 31 is then inserted through the bore and stub 34.While the insertion progresses through the spherical housing 32, firstgear 63 is passed over it, said gear 63 being provided with a keyway 86for permitting passage therethrough of key 64 as said rotatablecylindrical shaft 31 is passed to its operative position. Thereuponclutch 65 is passed over and upon said shaft 31 and upon key 64, andlastly gear 62 is passed upon said shaft 31. When these parts are allupon shaft 31 said shaft is then driven until shoulder 4l contacts withflange 36. Thereupon bushing 44 is passed into the bore and affixed byscrews 46.

Thereupon cover 10, including block 13 and clutch operating lever 11, isset upon the spherical housing 32, first taking care that fork 85 entersbetween flanges 66.

It is further observed that in order to prevent friction the majorportion of the rotatable cylindrical shaft 31 is spaced from tube 35 andcylindrical collar 39 as at 81.

In case the tool used in connection with the device is a tooth brush asshown in Fig. 2, it would be desirable that the brush should operateupon the teeth alone without contacting the wall of the mouth. For thatpurpose guard 88 is provided which includes shank 89 fitting theperiphery of cylindrical casing 33, and a pair of clamping arms 90extend laterally from said shank 89 and engage the periphery ofcylindrical casing 33. Lug 9| stamped out of the guard and bentdownwardly provides a stop engaging the Coil spring 84 interposedbetween block outer end of cylindrical casing 33. 'I'hus it will be seenthat said guard 88, including all the component parts thereof, isremovable at will from cylindrical casing 33.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, it is to be understood, nevertheless, that minor changes maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a portable handpiece for rotary tools, a hollow gear housing, anelongated tubular casing integral with and extending from one side ofsaid housing, a hollow stud integral with and projecting from theopposite side of said housing, a tubular lining fitted in said tubularcasing, said lining having an inwardly projecting flange at its outerend and having an outwardly projecting flange at its inner end bearingagainst the adjacent portion of the inner surface of the housing, ahollow shaft rotatably fitted in said lining and having a reduced outerend providing an external shoulder engaging the inner surface of saidinwardly projecting flange of the lining, the inner end of said hollowshaft being journaled in said hollow stud, an elongated handle integralwith and depending from the bottom of said gear housing and having alongitudinal bore, a drive shaft journaled in the bore of said handle, agearing in said gear housing for transmitting motion from said driveshaft to said hollow shaft, means for securing the shaft of a tool inthe outer end of said hollow shaft including a jaw-carrying rod slidablyfitted in said hollow shaft, means for longitudinally shifting said rodin opposite directions, and means c0- operating between said rod andsaid hollow shaft for contracting the jaws of said rod when said rod isshifted in the direction of the tool for gripping the shaft of a tool.

2. In a portable handpiece for rotary tools, a hollow gear housing, anelongated tubular casing integral with and extending from one side ofsaid housing, a hollow stud integral with and projecting from theopposite side of said housing, a tubular lining fitted in said tubularcasing, said lining having an inwardly projecting flange at its outerend and having an outwardly projecting flange at its inner end bearingagainst the adjacent portion of the inner surface of the housing, ahollow shaft rotatably fitted in said lining and having a reduced outerend providing an external shoulder engaging the inner surface of saidinwardly projecting flange of the lining, the inner end of said hollowshaft being journaled in said hollow stud, an elongated handle integralwith and depending from the bottom of said gear housing and having alongitudinal bore, a drive shaft journaled in the bore of said handle,a. gearing in said gear housing for transmitting motion from said driveshaft to said hollow shaft, means for securing the shaft of a tool inthe outer end of said hollow shaft including a jawcarrying rod slidablyfitted in said hollow shaft, an adjusting screw threaded in said hollowstud and engaging the inner end of said rod for forcing the latteroutwardly, the bore of said hollow shaft and the jaws of said rod beingcooperatively formed to cause contraction of said jaws to grip the toolshaft when the rod is forced outwardly, and a spring on the inner end ofsaid rod for moving the latter inwardly to release the jaws when theadjusting screw is retracted.

JOHN K. PALLA.

